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( 5 Sheets-Sheet 1. J. A. GOWANS.

STREET RAIL CLEANING BRUSH. No. 498,785. PatentedJune 6, 1893.

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J. A. GOWANS. STREET RAIL CLEANING BRUSH.

Patented June 6, 1893.

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J. A. GOWANS.

STREET RAIL CLEANING BRUSH.

No. 498,785. Patented June 6, 1893.

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J. A. GOWANS. STREET RAIL CLEANING BRUSH.

o. 498,785. Patented June 6,1893.

UNITED STATES PATENT OF ICE.

JAMES ADAM GOVVANS, OF TORONTO, CANADA.

STREET-RAIL-CLEANING BRUSH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 498,785, dated June 6,1893.

Application filed October 15,1892. Serial No. 449,156. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, J AMES ADAM GOWANS, millwright, of thecity ofToronto, in the county of York and Province of Ontario, Canada, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Street-Rail-OleaningBrushes; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the same.

The object of this invention is to so construct a street-rail cleaningbrush that it will travel along the rail in advance of the car andremove any and all obstructions which may find a resting place thereuponand which can be raised clear of the street rail and the various drivingparts thrown out of gear to prevent unnecessary wear when the said railis free from obstruction.

In the drawi11gsz-Figure 1 is a plan View of a portion of the underframe of a street car looking at it from the upper side and showing thestreet rails, the car Wheels, the car axles, a chain wheel mounted uponone of the car axles, a clutch to drive the chain wheel, the railcleaning brushes, a spindle upon which the rail cleaning brushes aremounted, a supplemental frame supporting 1 said spindles, a chain wheelmounted upon said spindles, a chain wheel transmitting motion from thechain wheel on the car axle to the chain wheel on the spindle, and meansfor throwing the clutch of the chain wheel on the car axle into and outof engagement. Fig. 2 is a view of the same parts but showing thedriving gear thrown out of action. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of thesame parts shown in Figs. 1 and 2showing the rail cleaning brushestraveling along the rail and also showing in dotted lines the railcleaning brush raised clear of contact with the rail or in asupplemental frame connected to the car axle and supported by a wheeladapted to travel along the street rail in advance of the car.

Like numerals and letters of reference refer to like parts throughoutthe specification and drawings.

As the general construction of the under frame of the car, car axles,and car wheels is old it is not necessary to enter into a description ofthe same.

Mounted upon the car axle 1 is a chain wheel 2. As shown in Figs. 1 and2 of the drawings this chain wheel 2 is loosely mounted upon and slidesalong the car axle 1 when operated by the forked lever 3. The end 4* ofthe hub 4 of the chain wheel 2 forms one portion of a toothed clutchwhile the adjacent end 5 of the collar 5 bolted to or rigidly mountedupon the car axle 1 forms the other section of the said clutch. Theother end 4* of the hub 4 is provided with a collar or flange 6 andencircling the said end i of the hub 4 between the collar 6 and adjacentside face of the chain wheel 2 is the forked end 3 of the lever 3.

Pivotally connected to the side bars 7 of the under frame of the car arethe side bars 8 of the spindle supporting frame A. These side bars 8however may be mounted upon the axle 1 if found desirable and thisconstruction I have shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings. Formed onthe side bars 8 of the spindle supporting frame are bearings 9 in whichis journaled the spindle 10.

Rigidly mounted upon the spindle 10 are two rail cleaning brushes 11located one above either rail and arranged to travel on its respectiverail in advance of the car. Rigidly mounted upon the spindle 10intermediate the rail cleaning brushes 11 is a chain wheel 12 andtransmitting motion from the chain wheel 2 to the chain wheel 12 is acrossed chain 15. Connecting the side bars 8 of the spindle supportingframe A is a cross bar 14 and passing through the lever 3 and the crossbar 14 is a pin or bolt 15 pivotally connecting the lever 3 to the saidcross bar. Connected to the outer end 3 of the lever3 as shown in Figs.1 and 2 is one end of a spring 16 while the opposite end of said springis connected to the side bar 8. The tension of the spring upon the end 3of the lever 3 draws the said end 3* toward the side bar 8 andconsequently throws the opposite or forked end 3 in the oppositedirection. This throw on the part of the lever 3 forces the chain wheel2 along the axle 1 toward the collar 5 and throws the clutched end 4: ofthe hubinto engagement with the clutchedend 5 of the collar 5. As thecollar 5 is rigidly mounted upon or bolted to the axle 1 it must of anecessity rotate with the said axle and the rotation of the collar 5when the clutched end 5 is in engagement with the clutched end 4E causesthe said hub to rotate with it and in the same direction. As the chainwheel 2 and hub 4 are integral the chain wheel must of necessity revolvewith its hub and with the axle. The revolution of the chain wheel 2transmits motion to the chain 13 which in turn transmits motion to thechain wheel 12 and causes the spindle 10 and brushes 11 to revolve. Thechain 13 being crossed causes the chain wheel 12, spindle 10 and brushes11 to rotate in the reverse direction to the rotation of the car axle 1so that the said brushes 11 will throw in advance of the car and cleanthe rail from any and all obstructions before the car wheels 17 travelover it. Connected to the end 3 of the lever 3 is one end ofaliftingchain 18 while the other end of said lifting chain is connected to thedash board of the car and within easy reach of the car driver. Byraising the lifting chain 18 the end 3 is drawn from the side bars 8 andthe forked end .5 is moved in the opposite direction or toward the sidebar 8 and moves with it the chain wheel 2 and hub 4 throwing theclutched end 1 of the said hub out of engagement with the clutched endof the collar 5. Connected to the front end of each of the side bars 8is a supporting chain 19 to prevent the said side bars falling too lowwhen the apparatus is in itslowered position. The raising of the liftingchain 18 besides throwing the toothed clutch out of engagement alsoraises the frame work in which is journaled the spindle 10 and lifts thebrushes 11 clear from the rails thus preventing any unnecessary wearupon the brushes and upon the driving parts.

In Figs. 4 and 5 I have shown an alternative construction of drivinggear. Rigidly mounted upon the axle 1 is the chain wheel 2 which iscaused to rotate with the said axle 1. Loosely mounted upon the spindle10 is the chain wheel 12 having its hub 20 provided at the end 20 withone portion of a toothed clutch which engages with the clutched end 21of the collar 21 rigidly mounted upon or bolted to the spindle 10. Theother end 20 of the hub 20 of the chain wheel 12 is provided with acollar 22 and encircling the end 20 is the forked end of the lever 3.Connected to the lever 3 is one end of a spring 16 while the oppositeend of said spring is connected to the side bar 8. This lever instead ofbeing pivoted at its middle is pivoted at its free end 3 to an extensionof the cross bar let. It might here be stated that the spring 16 isconnected to the lever 3 near or at its middle so that the tension ofthe spring 16 will draw the forked end 3 of the lever toward the chainWheel 12 and the tension of the spring 16 will throw the clutched end 20of the hub 20 into engagement with the clutched end 21 of the collar 20.Connected to the middle portion of the lever 3 is the lifting chain 18by means of which the lever is' drawn from the chain wheel 12 and comingin contact with the collar 22 draws the chain wheel 12, hub 20 andclutched end 20 free from engagement with the clutched end 21 of thecollar 21 throwing the driving parts out of gear. The lifting chain 18is constructed as hereinbefore stated and raises the frame supportingspindle 10 simultaneously with the movement of the lever 3 thus throwingthe several parts out of gear and raising the brushes 11 clear from therails.

In Fig. 5 I have shown a device which consists of a supplemental frame Acomprising two side bars 8 mounted upon the car axle 1. Formed on theside bars 8 at their free ends are bearings t) in which is journaled thespindle 10. Mounted upon the spindle 10 are rail cleaning brushes 11located one above either rail and arranged to travel on its respectiverail in advance of the car. Pivoted to each of the side bars 8 is anangle iron L. The pivot connecting the iron L to the side bar 8preferably passes through the end of one of the arms of said angle ironwhile the end of the other arm .is fitted with a curved slot Z intowhich enters a pin Z fixed to the said side bar. Formed in the angle ofeach of the angle irons L is a bearing for the spindle M on which aremounted two wheels N arranged to travel one along either rail. By meansof the pivot and slot of the angle iron the side bars 8 can movevertically and independently of the movement of the angleiron and saidwheels. The slot, Z is of sufficient length to permit the pinl to restupon the metal at the bottom of the slot and lends a support to the sidebars 8. The side bars 8 are also provided with a chain by means of whichthey and the rail cleaning brushes can be raised clear of the trackswhen it is desired to do so.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. Ina street rail cleaning brush the combination of the supplementalframe pivotally connected to the car, a spindle journaled in saidsupplemental frame in advance of the car axle, a rotatable brush mountedon said spinde at each endthereof, a sprocket wheel mounted on saidspindle intermediate said brushes and adapted to rotate therewith, asleeve encircling the car axle and sliding there along, a sprocket wheelmounted on said sleeve, a clutch rigidly secured to said axle androtating therewith said clutch adapted to engage with the clutched endof the said sleeve, a bar connected to the supplemental frame, a forkedlever pivotally connected to said bar, the forked end of said leverengaging with the hub of the sprocket Wheel mounted on the sleeve, aspring connected to the said lever, said spring and lever when in theirnormal positions adapted to throw the clutched end of the sleeve intoengagement with the said clutch, a sprocket chain passing over the saidsprocket wheel and adapted to transmit motion from the sprocket wheel onthe car axle to the sprocket wheel on the brush spindle, substantiallyas described.

2. a In a street rail cleaning brush the combination of the supplementalframe pivotally connected to the car, a spindle journaled in saidsupplemental frame in advance of the car axle, a rotatable brush mountedon said spindle at each end thereof, a sprocket wheel mounted on saidspindle intermediate said brushes and adapted to rotate therewith, asleeve encircling the car axle and sliding there along, asprocketwheelmounted on said sleeve, a clutch rigidly secured to said axle androtating therewith said clutch adapted to engage with the clutched endof the said sleeve, a bar connected to the supplemental frame, a forkedlever pivotally connected to said bar, the forked end of said leverengaging with the hub of the sprocket wheel mounted on the sleeve, aspring connected to the said lever, said spring and lever when in theirnormal positions adapted to throw the clutched end of the sleeve intoengagement with the said clutch, a sprocket chain passing over the saidsprocket wheel and adapted to transmit motion from the sprocket wheel onthe car axle to the sprocket wheel on the brush spindle, a bracketpivotally secured to each of the said side bars between the car axle andthe brush spindle, a spindle mounted in said brackets and wheels mountedon said spindle and adapted to travel along the rail in advance of thecar wheel, a slot formed in each of said brack: ets and a pin secured tothe side bars of the supplemental frame projecting through said slotallowing the said brackets a vertical movement, substantially asdescribed.

3. In a street rail cleaning brush the combination of the supplementalframe pivotally connected to the car a spindle journaled in saidsupplemental frame in advance of the car axle, a rotatable brush mountedon said spindle at eachend thereof,a sprocket wheel mounted on saidspindle intermediate said brushes and adapted to rotate therewith, asleeve encircling the caraxle and sliding there along,a sprocket wheelmounted on said sleeve, a clutch rigidly secured to said axle androtating therewith said clutch adapted to'engage with the clutched endof the said sleeve, a bar connected to the supplemental frame, a forkedlever pivotally connected to said bar, the forked end of said leverengaging with the hub of the sprocket wheel mounted on the sleeve, aspring connected to the said lever, said spring and lever when in theirnormal positions adapted to throw the clutched end of the sleeve intoengagement with the said clutch, a sprocket chain passing over the saidsprocket wheel and adapted to transmit motion from the sprocket wheel onthe car axle to the sprocket wheel on the brush spindle, a bracketpivotally secured to several of the said side bars between the car axleand the brush spindle, a spindle mounted in said brackets wheels mountedon said spindle'and adapted to travel along the rail in advance of thecar, a slot formed in each of said brackets and a pin secured to theside bars of the supplemental frame projecting through said slotallowing the said brackets a vertical movement, and a chain connected tothe said supplemental frame and passing up 'the side of the dash board,substantially as described.

Toronto, June 21, 1892.

JAMES ADAM GOWANS.

In presence of- M. E. ANGELL, CHAS. H. RIoHEs.

